Note selector for pitch pipes



June 10, 1958 w, KR 1 2,837,954

NOTE SELECTOR FOR PITCH PIPES Filed June 25. 1956 INVENTOR. BY M/liam l fmf 4 a W ATTORNEY United States Patent NOTE sELEcToR FOR PITCH PIPES William Kratt, Union, N. J. Application June 25, 1956, Serial No. 593,681

4 Claims. c1. 84-456) This invention relates to pitch pipes, and more particularly concerns pitch pipes of the circular disc type.

One type of pitch pipe known in the art, takes the form of a flat circular disc with radially extending air chambers for the different, individual notes, as shown in Patent 1,796,795. in using this type of pitch pipe, the disc is rotated between the fingers by the user until the selected note opening is in position to be blown; the individual notes being identified by suitable indicia on the sides of the disc adjacent the corresponding note openings.

In many cases, the conditions under which the pitch pipe is being used, are such as to render the proper positioning of the device somewhat diflicult, as when lighting is bad and the indicia cannot be easily read. Also, lack of time may prevent even a hasty inspection of the in dicia to make sure that the proper note is blown.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a disc type pitch pipe with an adjustable note selector means which may be preset for a given note opening, thus allowing the pitch pipe to be blown without the need for inspecting the indicia on the pitch pipe in order to select the proper note.

Another object of this invention is to provide for use with a disc type pitch pipe, at note selector which may be detachably mounted on the pitch pipe, which is readily manipulated by the user to select a desired note opening and which is retained in proper position for the desired note opening until such time as it may be necessary to alter such position.

A further object of this invention is to provide for use with a disc type pitch pipe, a note selector which is of minimum weight and bulk, which requires no accessories for mounting the same on the pitch pipe, which does not interfere with the normal use of the pitch pipe, and which is economical to produce.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

in the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a pitch pipe assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the note selector apart from the pitch pipe; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 designates an assembly of a circular, disc type pitchpipe 11 and a note selector 12 mounted thereon. Pitchpipe 11 is made up of a pair of opposed, flanged circular members 13, 14 with a circular reed plate 15 therebetween; the members and reed plate being held together by a screw 16 and a nut 17 threaded thereon. The central portions of members 13, 14 are formed with circular depressions 13a to receive therein the nut 17 and the head of screw 16 respectively.

It is understood that pitchpipe 11 is provided with radially extending air channels interiorly thereof, which 2,837,954 Patented June 10, 1958 coact with the individual, vibratory reeds, not shown, on reed plate 15, in a manner known in the art and typically described in Patent 1,796,795. Such air channels terminate at the rim of the pitchpipe 11 in individual note openings 18, the marginal portions of members 13, 14 hearing indicia 1.9 for identifying the particular openings 18 in respect to the specific musical notes which may be derived therefrom.

The pitch pipe 11 is provided with a note selector 12 which is detachably and rotatably mounted thereon. The device 12 is a one piece member which may be molded of suitable plastic or the like and comprises an arm 20 having a hook shaped portion 21 at one end thereof. The arm 20 is adapted to be disposed in contact with the outer surface of member 13 and extending radially thereof with the hook shaped portion 21 passing about the rim of the pitchpipe and generally conforming to the transverse curvature thereof.

The arm 20 of device 12 comprises at the inner end thereof an inwardly depressed portion 22 receivable in and conforming to the central depression in member 13; portion 22 being formed with an opening 23 to pass nut 17 therethrough. At the outer end of arm 20 there is formed an opening 24 for registering with and making visible therethrough indicia 19 on member 13.

The hook shaped portion 21 or" note selector 12 includes a short end portion 25 overlying the marginal portion of member 14; end portion 25 being formed with an opening 26 for registering with and making visible therethrough the indicia 19 on member 14. An intermediate portion of hook shaped portion 21 overlies the rim 27a of pitchpipe 11, as at 27; such portion 27 being formed with an opening 28 which registers with the note openings 18 on the pitchpipe rim. Portion 27 also has thereon an upstanding mouthpiece portion 29 at opening 28; both opening and mouthpiece portion being of elongate shape.

The intermediate portion 27 of device 12 also includes projections 30 extending from the opposite ends thereof, such projections overlying rim portions of pitch pipe 11 and conforming generally to the circumferential curvature thereof. Each of the projections 30 terminates with downwardly depressed detent portions 31. Detent portions 31 are releasably receivable in note openings 18 on the rim of pitch pipe 11 to retain note selector 12 in a determined position whereby mouthpiece portion 29 thereof is in registry with a selected note opening 18.

It will be apparent, that device 12 may be easily slipped on or off pitchpipe 11; the hook shaped portion 21 and depressed end portion 22 serving to hold device 12 on the pitchpipe 11 while allowing relative rotary movement with nut 17 acting as a shaft or the like. The device 12 may be readily rotated by the application of pressure to the mouthpiece portion 29, the resiliency of projections 30 allowing detent portions 31 to slip out of note openings 18.

Thus, the note selector 12 may be manually manipulated while on the pitchpipe 11 to register the mouthpiece portion 29 with any desired note opening 18 as identified by the indicia 19, the selector being retained in the proper position by detent portions 31 received in note openings 18 on either side of the selected note opening. With the note selector in associated relation to the pitchpipe 11, the selector may be preset at a desired note opening and thereafter whenever the pitchpipe is to be used the same may be manipulated to bring the mouthpiece portion 29 in proper position, without any need for looking at the note identifying indicia 19. Thus, the assembly may be used in places having insufficient illumination or other conditions making it difficult to properly identify the indicia 19.

If the pitchpipe 11 is to be used without the note selector 12, the selector may be readily slipped off the pitchpipe and later remounted if necessary.

As various changes may he made in the embodiment of the invention herein described without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein described or shown shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a flat, circular pitch pipe having a plurality of note openings circumferentially spaced on the rim thereof, note selector means detachably mounted on said pitch pipe, said selector means comprising an arm having a hook shaped portion at one end thereof substantially complementary to the rim of said pitch pipe, said hook shaped portion being formed with a mouthpiece registrable with said note openings, said arm being disposed adjacent one side of said pitch pipe, the other end of said arm and a. central portion of said pitch pipe adjacent thereto having interengageable means providing for rotary movement of said arm relative to the central portion of said pitch pipe, and detent means on said hook shaped portion releasably engageable in at least one note opening for retaining the mouthpiece thereof in registry with a selected note opening in said pitch pipe.

2. In combination with a flat, circular pitch pipe having a plurality of note openings circumferentially spaced on the rim thereof and a depressed central portion on one side thereof, note selector means detachably mounted on said pitch pipe, said selector means comprising a flat arm disposed adjacent one side of said pitch pipe with one end thereof offset and received in the depressed portion of said pitch pipe, the other end of said arm extending transversely about the rim of said pitch pipe and being substantially complementary on the inner surface thereof to said rim, the other end of said arm being formed with a mouthpiece registrable with the rim openings of said pitch pipe, said arm being adapted for circular movement relative to the adjacent side of the pitch, and detent means projecting from the other end of said arm releasably receivable in the note openings of said pitch pipe.

3. For use with a flat, circular pitch pipe having the note openings on the rim thereof, a note selector comprising a member having a hook shaped portion on one end thereof for conforming to the rim of said pitch pipe when said member is disposed on ong side of said pitch pipe and extending radially thereof, the hook shaped portion being formed with an opening and an outwardly ex tending mouthpiece at said opening, said opening being adapted to register with the note openings of said pitch pipe, and a projection extending from the hook shaped portion of said member transversely thereof, and detent means on the under side of said projection, said detent means being adapted to be received in a note opening of said pitch pipe to retain said mouthpiece in registry with a selected note opening of said pitch pipe.

4. A note selector for a flat, circular pitch pipe having the note openings on the rim thereof and a depressed central portion on at least one side thereof, said selector comprising a molded plastic member adapted to be dis posed on one side of said pitch pipe, said member having an offset end portion receivable in and conforming to the depressed central portion of said pitch pipe and a hook shaped end portion extending over the rim of said pitch pipe whereby said member and pitch pipe may be interengaged While permitting relative rotary movement therebetween, the hook shaped portion of said member being formed with an opening and an outwardly extending mouthpiece at said opening for registration with the note openings of said pitch pipe, and resilient detent means on said member releasably receivable in depressed portions of said pitch pipe for retaining said mouthpiece in registry with a selected note opening of said pitch pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,502 Filhnore Jan. 19, 1915 1,538,336 Kratt May 19, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 50,779 Germany Feb. 11, 1890 

